When Life Hands You Tim Riggins
by blueeyedjade
Summary: Just when Tim decides to leave college he meets Andie. She reminds him of Lyla but there is something different about her. After one fun night where Tim finds himself bonding with Andie, they go their separate ways. But, over a year later Andie hears of Tim's troubles with the law through the grapevine and seeks to help the young man she had a surprising soft spot for.
1. Preface

**AN:**_This is technically the preface to the story. It begins in Season 4, Episode 1 of Friday Night Lights. The rest of the story will take place at the end of Season 5. Everything that happens in between the two is considered to still happen. This Preface is meant to just be inserted in before Tim Riggins leaves college. After the rest of the story begins in Season 5, the original storyline will change. I like to keep a certain amount of continuity. Let me know if I achieve that to your satisfaction._

Preface: Introducing Andie.

Andie absolutely hated political science. The only thing more boring than your country's politics was another country's politics.

And to top it all off, for the first time in her life, Andie had gone four months with not a single thing to write. She had gone to university, like her parents had always wanted, but her intention had been to gain a legitimate degree while pursuing her dream.

Andie wanted more than anything to be a writer. There was nothing she loved more than writing her books. In her life she had travelled all over the world and had seen so many places, cultures and people who had inspired her and given her ample material for her books. And she loved San Antonio and all it had to offer, but for the first time in her life, she was experiencing writer's block. So her frustration level was through the roof.

So the last thing she needed, on her way to the library to study for her political science test, was to be slammed into by some greasy haired, ignorant, though kind of hunky, jerk with no regard for anyone but himself. It didn't help that he was built like a brick wall. A brick wall that left Andie on her back and her books scattered around her.

"Sorry." He said, picking up her books. With his other arm he lifted her up and sat her on her feet with little to no effort while she was still catching her breath.

She had barely done so when he nodded and began walking away again. It therefore took her a moment before she realized he still had her books. She hurried after him. "Hey!" she called out. "HEY!"

He had no reaction so she picked up her speed. "Hey, impatient idiot!"

That got him to turn his head long enough for him to realize she was chasing him. "Look, little girl, I'm a bit busy. I said sorry. I have a long drive ahead of me."

She grabbed his arm to force him to stop and was a little impressed by the firm muscle under her hand and the warmth radiating from it.

"What?" he asked, exasperated. She must have been involuntarily blushing at her less than proper thoughts about his muscles because he smiled a little. "Is this an attraction thing? Because you're hot and all, but you're a little young for me. Besides, I'm not gonna be around much longer."

Andie wasn't a complete stranger to blatant vulgarity in the form of arrogant, horny men, but that didn't mean she took to it well. Quickly letting go of his arm and crossing hers over her chest, Andie let go of years of propriety training and gave into her quick temper. "Listen, you inbred, southern tool, though it may be a shock to your Texas-sized Ego, I have less than non-existant attraction to you. I can't say as I'm regretful you won't be here long and I wish you steady travel far away from here. However, before you cart your unwashed self to God only knows where, the least you could do for the insult to my physical well-being and self-respect would be to give me my books back."

"Andie?"

Andie looked back to see Olivia, her study partner, looking at her. Andie nodded. "One second." She turned back to the current bane of her existence and he was smiling at her. "My books." She insisted.

He looked down at the books he was holding. "Political Science, huh?" He smiled even more. "I don't know much about politics but hows about we negotiate. I will give you your books back if you meet me at a little bar downtown called Antonio's Tavern around eight tonight."

She opened her mouth to decline and insist he give her books back but closed it when she recognized that she wasn't exactly in the position to make demands. He had what she needed and she was hardly a challenge to his six-foot frame. Instead she said, "I thought you had a long drive to commence."

"Yeah, well, there's always tomorrow."

She stared at him, a little annoyed at the sparkle in his clear hazel eyes. "Why? Why would you want me to meet you there and why should I agree to it?" She knew perfectly well why he would want her to meet him at a bar and the well-mannered daughter her parents had raised told her suddenly kick-started libido that there was no way they were going to that bar.

He shrugged in that way only the truly languid can. "I want to have a good time and you need these books back before your friend over there takes off."

Andie looked back and Olivia was checking her watch. "Fine." She grabbed her books and turned to walk away, but she turned back and he was watching her. "What makes you think I won't stand you up?"

Again, he shrugged. "I get the feeling you're the kind of girl who doesn't find it easy to back out of a deal."

She wanted to deny it and say she had reneged on promises before, but it was true that her parents had raised her better. Not willing to admit that, however, Andie just nodded and walked away.

It had been Tim's intention to leave San Antonio as soon as possible. What his professor had said had made him miss home in a way he hadn't thought possible. He had never thought his home that great but he was beginning to realize that it had been the one place he could always go back to. He didn't belong in college. Lyla and Billy had wanted him to go. Tim just wanted to go home.

And he still did. But home would still be there in a day. He had already lost Lyla, why shouldn't he enjoy himself before heading home? This Andie, she surprised him. Similarly to how Lyla had. They were both over all good girls but they appeared to have a dark side; Lyla, with her rebellious nature and Andie with her sharp words. He couldn't help but be drawn to her.

Especially by the differences between the two girls. Tim had loved Lyla and thought she was great, but she had never been happy with simple. She had always wanted to get out of Dillon, go to University, be important and impressive. She always had to be in perfect, polite, proper order and she had wanted Tim to be too. But what he was beginning to understand was he wasn't cut out for that life. He was simple. Just like Dillon. Tomorrow he would go home to Dillon, where he didn't need to be impressive.

Lyla and Andie might have differences, but when Andie walked into the tavern that night, she sure was impressive. And that might have stopped Tim had he thought her too much like Lyla and likely to expect too much frolm him when he wasn't willing to give any. However, despite her impressive appearance, and despite how she acted earlier seemed to suggest she was a lot more cultured that Time was used to, everything about her seemed simple. Beautiful, but simple.

She was only wearing a pair of jeans and a black shirt, but the shirt showed off her creamy skin and long neck and the way her jeans fit was simply amazing.

Andie came in looking around for him. He couldn't help but smirk at the determined look on her face. What she had on her mind was obvious when she saw him and headed for the table he was at. Her first words confirmed it.

"Okay, Well, I'm here. See, the thing is, I have a test tomorrow so I should really be getting back to my dorm to study."

Tim nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you could pretend like just showing up is what I meant when we agreed to this, if that's the kind of person you want to be. Or you could sit down, have a drink and loosen up a bit."

Andie looked guilty but lifted her chin. "What gives you the idea I need to loosen up?"

Smiling, Tim put his beer down and walked around behind her, rubbing her shoulders. "The tension in your shoulders does."

She remained tense but eventually she relaxed and he sat her down in the chair before returning to his own. "Fine," she said, "What's on the agenda?"

Tim raised a brow as he leaned over his beer. "The agenda?" There was definitely a tone to her voice that had him wondering if maybe he should have let her walk out. She was suspicious of him and though her shoulders had relaxed, her voice was still tense.

"Word on campus is that you are quite well practiced at this, so I'm just wondering if I get something special or am I just another night on the Tim Riggins San Antonio Tour?"

Time froze with his beer half way to his lips. That tone he had heard before, he revised his name for it. It hadn't been the "tense" tone, it was the "I've got your number" tone. He had found her quick wit amusing but when he pushed aside his curiosity at how she had heard so much about him in one day, her words left their mark.

Unfortunately Andie seemed to see this. "I just want to know why me. I'm sure you're a nice guy but I don't know why you have chosen me."

Tim didn't like that she obviously knew she'd hit a sore spot but the sting of that and her earlier comment were a little soothed by her sincere manners and her obvious self preservation. She wasn't making the comment to poke at him, but to protect herself. Tim could understand that. He did it himself on occasion.

Sitting his beer down, Tim leaned in and attempted honesty. "Look, I don't know how you collected your research on me and I won't deny a certain reputation of mine, but I'm not in the habit of making girls do things they don't want to do. You're interesting, and seeing as it's my last night in town, I thought it would be nice to have some fun. Think you can handle that?"

She just stared at him before sighing. "Okay, since I don't believe you understand how arrogant and condescending that sounded, I'm going to overlook it and jump to the end. Why is it your last night in town and why spend it with me, other than the part where you find me interesting? Because I'm pretty sure there are a lot more interesting people and things you could be wasting time with."

Hoping to distract her from the in-depth conversation she was starting, Tim smiled. "Why don't you let me buy you a drink first."

"Answer the questions and I might let you buy me a drink."

He might have cut the evening short then and there but there was a challenging glint in her eyes that gave Tim the impression that is he gave a little bit, it might just pay off."

"I've decided I'm not the college type. That's why it's my last night. Tomorrow I'm packing up my things and heading back home."

"It's only been two months, how could you know it's not for you already?" She saked with real interest on her face.

Tim wasn't used to people actually being interested in what he had to say. There had never been many people who seemed to care what someone like Tim Riggins thought. It was odd having this girl he barely knew sitting there and actually listening to him. She was full-on, leaning in, head tilted, hearing everything he said and interpreting it. He was caught up by the actual interest in those eerily stormy blue eyes. It threw him off and left him too off-kilter to fall into his normal tactic of bailing.

Without know what else to do, Tim found himself answering her and actually being honest without a thought to how to stop himself. "I come from a small town. A big fancy life was never a dream of mine. It wasn't my idea to go off to college. My brother wanted me to go. And my girlfriend at the tim, she was what you might call a go-getter. She's at Vanderbilt now."

"Sounds like you're a little hung up on her still."

Did it now? Tim rolled his eyes and went to scoff and deny it but the actual words wouldn't come out.

Andie nodded. "So, I'm assuming my presence here was in hopes of a distraction from the gaping hole in your chest and the panicked feelings of displacement caused by being so far from home and safety."

He stared at her, not willing to risk thinking about that and whether it was true. He was soon distracted by what he was almost certain was acceptance on her face.

"Okay then." She said, signalling the bartender. "Let's have some fun."

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked.

"Tequila," she said, "And keep it coming."

Surprisingly the next morning Tim's head wasn't all that bad. Of course it could have something to do with all the physical activity last night. He probably worked most of the alcohol out of his system with all the dancing, singing, running around… and of course the mind-blowing sex. Tim had slept with more than his share of the female sex but he had grown to find that despite a few tricks or areas one excelled, sex with most women tended to be the same. Still enjoyable, but the same. Tim didn't know whether it was that Andie seemed to be a little foreign or if it was something else about her but she was definitely in his top three.

"You're awake." His roommate, John, said, coming around the partition that separated their beds. Tim pulled Andie's sleeping form against him so that her chest, which wasn't covered by the sheet, wasn't visable.

"If I wanted to peek, I wouldn't hace made my presence known."

Tim doubted that would have reassured Andie, had she been awake.

"I thought you were leaving. I thought that's what the bags were all about." John motioned to Tim's various packed bags around the room.

"Today." Tim said. "I had plans last night."

"Obviously." John said, looking at Andie. The sheet covered her hips and she was turned against Tim so her chest and face were hidden, but her back and legs were still visable and John's gaze on them irked Tim unexpectedly. John smiled. "Don't worry, Man, I'm just admiring the creamy skin. She's all yours."

Tim didn't know what to say to that. "Don't you have practice to get to?"

"Yeah, I suppose I do. I will give coach your best."

"You do that."

John left and instead of letting Andie go, he admired her sleeping form. She looked so content and peaceful. She laid there, cuddled against his chest with her silky legs splayed out across the bed. He brushed her long dark hair away from her face and she tilted her face up towards him with the slightest smile. She had shown a lot of facial expressions since he had met her but never one so… her.

Not able to resist, Tim leaned down and kissed her gently. She soon began to return the kiss and let her hands explore his chest. Eventually he broke the kiss and let her roll away a little. Slowly her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at the ceiling before looking over at him and giving him a mischievous smirk. It was there, in that glint of mischief, that Tim felt the first sign of attachment to her.

However, when he went to lean in to kiss her again, her face changed to worry. "What time is it?"

"Well, my roommate just left for practice, so probably around seven."

"Shit!" She said, jumping up and beginning to pull her clothes on.

"What? Classes don't start for another hour."

Andie pulled her shirt on and looked around for the rest of her things. "I know that. But as I said last night, I have a Political Science test today and I was out with you all night so I have barely studied. I need to go cram."

Tim had sat up in bed watching her frantic scramble but seeming there was no way she was coming back to bed, he got up and put his boxers on before sitting at the end of the bed and sighing.

After she got her shoes on she stopped and looked at him. Her face calmed and she walked over and gave him a delicious kiss before smiling. "Last night was fun. Thank you for making me loosen up. I enjoyed myself."

She kissed him again before walking to the door. Then she paused and looked back at him. "I hope you find what you're looking for. Drive safe Tim Riggins."

With one last smile she left and despite his sudden reluctance, an hour later, so did Tim.


	2. Hello Again

_AN: Flash forward a year and a half. The story picks up on the original timeline where Tim, recently out of jail, is working at Buddy's Bar. A jerk at the bar calls time a "jailbird" and Tyra reappears. This is where the story changes…_

She sat in the dark back corner of the bar, watching him. Andie had been in town for a few days now. She had asked around, discreetly, and when she finally saw him again, albeit from a distance, she realized he wasn't the same young man she knew anymore. The cocky arrogance had been stripped away and replaced with bitterness. Would this bitter man want to see her? She felt bad that she hadn't made it there for his hearing but obviously someone had spoken from him because he was out.

Andie had been at home in Romania when she heard. She had been lying in her room, trying to calm down after getting in another fight with her uncle. Her brother had been sneaking out and she had defended him like she always had and always would, but instead of just yelling at both of them and dismissing them, like he usually did, he had dismissed her brother and then sat there and stared at Andie.

"I have never understood you." He said, in his deep voice, so much like her father's. "Even your mother, despite all her compassion and sacrifice, following your father around the world just for the love of his work, she always knew when she was fighting a losing battle. For some reason, despite your vast intelligence, you don't seem to have inherited that wisdom."

Andie frowned. He was purposely trying to make her react. "I am protecting my family. Isn't that what you say is most important in this life?"

His eyes glinted with amusement. "It's important to protect your family but you have to protect yourself first or you won't be there to protect your family. And if you keep trying to cover for your brother you are going to lose the battle. He needs to be disciplined and you coddling him all the time is only going to make things worse."

And with a final frowning glance, he had dismissed her from his office.

Andie had understood from an early age that her uncle could be a ruthless and dangerous man. She knew there had been a fallout between he and her father and she had a vague idea of what it was about but when her parents had died and her aunt and uncle had taken her and her siblings in, she had decided to give her uncle a chance. And for the most part he had looked after them to the best of his ability. The problem was he thought that looking after them meant that he got to control every aspect of their life. Andie knew certain ways to get around that, ways to get herself out. But she couldn't protect her siblings that way. And until she could be sure she could get them out, she couldn't leave without them

It was while she was lying there trying to figure out if she would ever be able to get them all out, her phone rang. She had kept in touch with her friends from America on a casual basis, but she didn't call them much. So it was surprising when Olivia called her. It was even more surprising to hear why. And the most surprising what the pull she felt towards a boy she had barely known. But she did feel it. Perhaps her uncle was right. Perhaps it wasn't smart to be so willing to give up so much to help others, but she would rather be the girl who gave too much than the one that didn't give enough.

So she had made sure her family was okay and got on a plane. When she got to Dillon, however, she found out Tim was already out and when she went to see if he was alright, her nerves got the better of her and she decided to do some research instead. She had been collecting information about what exactly Tim had done to be sent to jail and despite him pleading guilty, she just couldn't believe he did it.

Now she sat in Buddy's bar, observing who she had learned was Tyra, intervene when a rude patron taunted Tim. Andie had been about to step in but was glad Tyra had done so. Andie enjoyed seeing Tim interact with someone who knew him without him getting aggressive like he was with Billy. There was a lot of anger there. Tyra, on the other hand, knew how to handle Tim. She was a good friend. Had she not been there and Andie had stepped in, she still wasn't sure how Tim would react. If it weren't for some weird desire to make sure he was going to be okay, Andie would have left town by now.

Maybe her uncle was right. Maybe she didn't know how to not be there from someone. Someone whose broken spirit barely resembled that of the young man she had once spent the night with. Someone she had once given the entirety of herself to. As Andie snuck out of the bar, she wondered if that young man was still in there somewhere and if he could be brought back.

Tyra answered her question on the night the town went crazy over the decision to keep the Dillon Panthers. Out to get something to eat, Andie was surprised to see Tyra sitting with a blonde girl. They were discussing relationships and how it was loving someone that screwed us up the most. Andie knew this first hand. She loved her family more than anything and would walk though fire for them. Then again, sometimes you just did it because it was the right thing to do. She liked to think that was why she was in Dillon still. It seemed like nobody else felt capable of helping Tim so Andie had decided to take on that challenge.

She took her time and chose her moment. After the dinner crowd the bar was empty, everyone in East Dillon wasn't in a celebrating mood.

She stood there, just inside the door, waiting for him to notice her. With no one to serve, Tim was cleaning. It took a few minutes during which Andie felt like she was holding her breath. Soon, however, he looked up, squinting. He was obviously trying to place her.

"Andie?"

She took one step forward. "Hello Tim."

He leaned the mop he was holding against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. "What are you doing here?"

She took another tentative step, trying to remind herself to breathe. "Your brother called John, looking for college friends to come to your hearing. I'm sorry I didn't make it in time. But you're out so it must have gone well."

Tim obviously wasn't happy Billy had been making calls but he had enough manners to smile at her, if a little condescendingly. "Well, that's one way to put it. It's all good now though so you can go back to San Antonio."

It was natural for him to want to push her away but it wasn't helping him to remain so solitary. "I wasn't in San Antonio. I left college last year after the semester ended. I went back to Romania."

He finally really looked at her, not just looking but observing. Something she noticed he did when she first met him but he like to pretend he wasn't intelligent enough to do. This time he didn't try and hide it behind the pretense that he was checking her out. "I always wondered where it was you were from."

"I'm from Canada. My family moved to Romania for my father's job when I was three. We moved a lot after that. My family lives in Romania now. So, when I left college I went back there."

"Well I'm sorry you had to come all the way back for nothing. I'd pay for your expenses but, as you can see, I have my own problems." His words were meant to bite but all Andie felt was the pain behind them. She had experience in self-punishment so it was obvious to her how he was torturing himself.

"Tim, I didn't come here for money, I came to make sure you're okay."

"I'm okay. You can leave now." He picked the mop back up and started mopping again as if the conversation was now closed.

Andie took two more steps towards him so that she was only a few feet from the wet portion of the floor he was mopping. "If I believed that I would have left days ago."

He looked up at her. She could see the process behind his eyes. He didn't want to talk but he was too curious to resist. "If you've been here for a few days, why is this the first time I'm seeing you?"

"I've been busy. Studying."

He smirked. "What am I now, a Political Science test?"

She wanted to smile back, really she did, but avoiding everything would come too easy after that. "Not exactly, but just as complicated."

"And here I'd always thought myself a simple man."

"Maybe you once were." She said, looking around the room before turning back to him. "Maybe you will be again. But not as long as you're holding onto this thing between you and your brother."

He stared hard at her with a dark look in his eyes that told her clearly that he didn't want anyone so close to his problems. He could hate her later if he wanted to, but at some point he had to realize he had to stop hating his brother. The hate and love would tear him apart.

He took a deep breath. "How do you…?"

"I do my research. Making a public display of your anger at the Landing Strip didn't help."

"I've never had a stalker before." He said, a slight growl to his voice like an irritated bear. It might have been intimidating had Andie not already decided to do whatever it took to help Tim.

"You still don't. You do, however, have people who care about you. Like Billy. And you must have loved him an awful lot to do what you did for him. It would be a shame if you lost that someone you cared about so much because you wouldn't forgive him. As far as I can tell, he has been the one person who has always been there for you."

Tim just stood there with his eyes closed. She hadn't been completely sure what had happened before Tim went to jail but she'd had an idea and decided to take a chance. His reaction told her she was right.

"I lost my parents when I was nineteen." Andie said, hoping again that giving some of herself would help. "They died in a car accident. The last conversation I had with them was an argument because they wanted me to go to college and I didn't. It took me a long time to forgive myself and understand that they loved me, and even longer to understand that going to San Antonio State wasn't going to make me miss them less. I had to accept what happened and move on with life." She took a deep breath. "You can't hold the past against yourself or the people in your life because all that does is screw with your future. You did what you did and it's over. Now you have to let the people in your life back in. You have so many people in your life who care; let them care."

He still didn't look at her. "Goodbye Tim." Taking a deep breath, Andie walked out of the bar. Talking about her parents had made her emotional. She doubted Tim needed a crying woman on top of his issues and he clearly didn't want help with those issues.

She was almost to her rental car when he called her name and, on top of her already turbulent emotions, the emotion in his voice almost broke her. "Andie."

She stopped but didn't turn, trying to return her breathing to an even rhythm. He caught up to her, turning her towards him. He stared at her, cupping her face in his hands. "Please don't go."

It wasn't fair. She was already emotional and vulnerable because of it. And she'd always had a soft spot for being needed by people. Not to mention that despite spending only one night with him, she had kept and affection for him that had only grown when she learned about his life in Dillon. Him begging her to stay was just about all she could take. And then he kissed her.


	3. Oh Mother

_AN: So I noticed I misspelled a few things in the haste of typing the last chapter. I wrote this story, like pen and paper wrote this story, back when FNL ended so when I decided to put it on here I just got so excited that I wasn't as meticulous as I would have preferred to be. I do hope that despite the few typos you are still enjoying the story. Comments are always welcome. Despite having finished the story a long time ago, as I type it up, I edit and change certain things. Your questions and comments help me add in information that I might have left out when the story was little more than a movie in my head. Thanks for reading._

In the morning she laid there watching him sleep. He could feel her eyes on him and did his best to appear like he was sleeping. This was the second time he had woken up to her. Last time it had been after a night of fun that had helped him let go of what he didn't want and move on with his life. This time he didn't know what was going on.

He'd known her one day and as much as he had been used to girls throwing themselves at him, he hadn't expected Andie to. There was something about her that gave him the impression she didn't sleep with someone without something more and now she had done it twice. As much as he was grateful she had cared enough to reach out to him, he didn't want her becoming attached to him. He wasn't the kind of guy it was smart to become attached to. He never had been. Add in the fact that he was now a convicted felon and he was the last person she needed.

But she was here, and she seemed to care enough to make the effort. And if he was honest, that mattered to him a lot. He was used to going through things alone. He had thought after jail and giving up everything to make sure Billy was there for his family had meant he would have to be by himself. He had to look after himself. And he probably would have to be alone again. But it was nice having her warm body leaning against his in this tiny little trailer that felt a little too close to his cell for his liking.

As noon rolled around, Andie was no longer content just lying against him. She began fidgeting and eventually she just couldn't hold it in anymore. She leaned over Tim and began whispering in his ear.

"Tim, wake up."

"Why?" he moaned, trying to sound groggy while not laughing.

"It's noon."

"So?"

"I'm hungry. Let's go eat."

He just groaned this time but he smiled. She didn't ask for affection, she didn't ask for his undivided attention, but she wasn't about to let him sit on his ass while she was hungry. He liked that she was comfortable pushing him around.

Taking advantage of his good humor, Andie climbed onto his back and nibbled on his shoulder. "Wake up." She slid her hands down his sides and under his stomach, before continuing to inch downwards.

When he discovered her purpose he gasped. Despite how she had acted that night in San Antonio and how sensual she had been last night, he was still surprised by the contrast between the proper and polite girl she was in public and the wildcat she was in private. The first time he assumed it was the tequila, this time he had to admit that it was all her. "You keep doing that and we won't be going anywhere soon. Not that I mind."

Just as she was about to hit the jackpot and Tim was getting into it, she froze. "Now, Timothy Riggins, you get up and you take me somewhere for food and we just might continue this later." With that she jumped up and got dressed, despite his complaints.

Tim grew less sure what he felt over the course of the day, but he knew having her around made him feel alive again. She seemed to understand and care how he was feeling without prying; just being there. And the sex was still mind-blowing.

After picking up some burgers from Fran's, Tim decided to take Andie to see his property. He told her what his plans had been for it when he had bought it and not only was she receptive to it, but scoffed at him for wanting to go to Alaska when he had so much beauty here.

"You're leaving soon and then there will only be half as much beauty."

She smirked, not falling for the line at all. "I'm serious. When you left college it was because the life that you wanted for yourself was here. Dillon is your home. You can't honestly think that you won't get all the way up there and feel the same."

It was possible. But, "Things have changed."

"Yeah, they have, but if you were going to sell this land you would have already. You love this place too much to sell your own little piece of it."

Tim thought that over as they stood there. Yes, he had always loved Dillon and Texas and he was coming to terms with the fact that he had to let go of his anger at Billy, but was there anything left for him here? Sure, he could build his house and sit on his deck and stare at his little piece of Texas, but what about the rest of his life? He couldn't bartend forever. He would need a real job. Did he want to go back to the shop when his probation was over? It would be nice to be around for Billy and Mindy's kids, but was that all he wanted? What about a family of his own?

In Jail, Tim had faced a lot of reality. His life had been hard before and it hadn't gotten any easier. He'd seen men that were more dangerous than he cared to think about and yet when their families came to visit, they were completely different people. They broke the law, but most of them did it in the name of their family… like Tim had. It would be better if he could do things for his family without breaking the law. And it would be better if he could one day have that family of his own in his house on his land.

As he looked out over his land he could picture kids running around. Of course he had to get his life cleaned up first, but if he stopped holding onto the anger that burned inside him and started taking the healthy steps towards that distant future, maybe it wouldn't be too long before he had little blue-eyed brunettes running around.

Where had that thought come from?

He didn't know but it led his mind to a whole new line to questions that he didn't feel remotely ready to answer. Yes, the amazing woman beside him had somehow pulled him out of his gray clouds and he had no idea how she had done it, but they'd only known each other a day and that had been over a year ago. Still, there was just something so relaxed about how they interacted. It was simple. Just being together.

Like now. They just stood there. They didn't have to talk, they didn't have to be all over each other either. They just leaned against the tailgate of his truck and enjoyed the view. It was peaceful… comfortable. And suddenly the idea that the only place he was comfortable these days was standing beside a girl who he knew barely anything about and who could be on the next plane back to Romania was alarming.

Looking out over the hills and trying to appear casual, Tim took a breath, but as he spoke, he found his eyes drawn to her, seeking a reaction. "You never said how long you're here for."

There were no visible changes in her that might suggest she understood the thought process behind his words. "A little while. I didn't know what I would find when I came back so I didn't make any guarantees to my family regarding my return."

That was the second time she had mentioned her family and yet she had told him her parents had died. Against all logic, for the slightest moment, Tim wondered if she had a husband and kids she was betraying by being here with him. Of course she didn't; she wasn't that kind of person. So instead he simply said, "I'm sure they miss you."

She smiled. "Yeah, I'm sure the little one will be driving my uncle crazy asking when I will be back to tuck him in."

Given his previous thoughts, Tim froze.

Andie must have amazing powers of perception. She turned to him and smiled, standing between his legs. "My younger brothers, Damon and Pythias, will be eighteen in four months and Castor just turned four three months ago."

"That's a lot of kids." Tim said, thankful they weren't hers but impressed she took it upon herself to help look after them. Kind of like Billy had done for Tim. "So why do you and Damon get normal names but everyone else has crazy ones?"

She raised a brow at him. "How odd it is that I know so much about you and yet you barely know anything about me."

"Well," Tim said, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her closer, "I was never very good at homework and despite how close we've been, we haven't talked seriously much."

Andie nodded. "Castor was the name of one of Zeus' sons. He was a twin. Pollux was stillborn. Still, my parents gave them the names of the twin sons of Zeus. The constellation of Gemini is for Castor and Pollux."

"That must have been hard on your parents." Tim rubbed her arms. Trying to relieve the sad turn of the conversation, Tim sought another topic. "Big on stars and Gods in you family?"

"My mother was a Greek astronomer. She wrote studies and was one of the top in her field in the world. She loved her work. Almost as much as her children."

"Understandably." Tim said, kissing her. "So tell me about the next stars. Damon and…" His mind blanked on the odd name.

"Pythias. We call him Theo. Actually my dad picked their names." She said, shifting to lean against him. "Damon and Pythias weren't stars but it was one of my father's favourite stories growing up. Probably because he and my uncle were so close as children. You see, Damon and Pythias were best friends."

Tim would be the first to admit he had never been big on learning, but the way Andie spoke about her family and their heritage, Tim actually enjoyed it. It kind of reminded him of when Landry read that book to him in high school, but this time the tutor was a lot more attractive. Coincidentally, the story she told of Damon and Pythias also reminded him of his friendship with Streets.

"They lived in the 4th Century B.C." Andie went on. "In a town called Syracuse. Pythias was sentenced to death by execution but was allowed to temporarily go free as long as Damon took his place in prison."

Okay, so considering how flaky Tim had been in the past, Streets might not have taken Tim's place, but it was still similar. Actually, Tim thought, it sounded like what Tim had done for Billy.

"Just as Damon was about to be executed in Pythias' place, Pythias came back. The king was so impressed by the loyalty shown by the two friends to one another that he let them both go free."

Just as the parole board had let Tim go when Billy had come back and spoken for him along with Buddy and Coach Taylor. Perhaps Andie was right about it being time to let thing go.

"My father wanted my brothers to be that close and loyal so he gave them those names."

"Well, Damon's name being part of a bigger deal makes me believe there might be a little more to yours that you're not letting on."

Andie gave him a look of innocence and shrugged a shoulder. "I guess you'll just have to torture it out of me."

Tim tightened his arms, effectively pulling her right up against him, and went to kiss her. But just as their lips met, his cell phone went off. Groaning, Tim let his head fall back. Andie surprised him by kissing his neck. It would have been really great if the stupid cell phone he was required to carry at all times would shut the hell up.

Groaning again, Tim stopped Andie before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the stupid thing. He froze when he saw the number on it.

"Who is it?" Andie asking, trying to look around his hand to catch a glimpse.

"It's Billy." Tim supplied, trying not to grind his teeth together. Maybe it was still too soon to let go.

"Are you going to answer it?" Andie asked, her voice soft and not the least bit pushy as she reached around him and rubbed his shoulders and neck.

Tim wasn't sure but as he thought about the story of Damon and Pythias he took a deep breath and pushed the talk button. "Yeah?"

"_I didn't think you were gonna answer._"

"Well I did." He couldn't help being impatient.

"_Yeah, I know._"

"Is there a reason you called Billy?"

Andie mouthed 'Be Nice' at Tim and he found he was a little amused. How was it so easy for her to relax him?

"_We need to talk. About Alaska. The whole situation._"

Tim was going to say that he had nothing to say but Andie kissed him on the cheek before pulling away and his eyes followed her. She casually paced away, obviously trying to give him some privacy, but he was fascinated by how there was just something about her as she wrapped her arms around herself and stared out over his land. It brought to mind the little blue-eyed brunettes again and he realized that if that ever happened, he still wanted Billy there.

"You're right, Billy. We do need to talk." Andie turned and looked at him with her sneaky arrogant little smirk on her face. She probably thought a lot of herself right now, having stitched together him and his brother just like she set out to do with her meddling. Well, two could play that game. "Why don't we have a family dinner at your place? Tomorrow night okay?"

"_Really?_" Billy asked, clearly surprised at his sudden turn-around.

Unlike Billy and his immediate enthusiasm, Andie was smart enough to be suspicious. Yes, he and Billy needed to work things out, but Tim wasn't about to open that can of worms without a buffer. "Yeah, really." Tim said, watching for her reaction to his next words. "I have someone I want you to meet."

Andie's jaw dropped and she began shaking her head as she walked forward and reached for the phone. Tim nodded just as much and used his height and some football maneuvers to keep the phone from her reach.

He almost didn't hear Billy's response. "_This isn't some prank, is it Tim?_" Billy's suspicion finally kicking in. "_It wouldn't be fair to Mindy to cook a big meal and then have you show up with some slut you picked up at the bar._"

Tim stopped moving. "She's not a slut!" That comment stopped Andie grabbing for the phone. Instead she just glared at Tim. It wasn't as if he'd called her a slut. "She's an old friend." Tim said. "You can promise Mindy that my guest will be far more polite than I ever am."

With an agreed time of 6pm, Tim hung up the phone.

"You son of a bitch. What the hell were you thinking?"

Tim's jaw dropped. Never in his life had he expected those words to come out of Andie's mouth. He was shocked. And amused. "So much for polite." He said. Joking, he added, "And there is no need to bring my mother into this."

Andie stared at him for a second before shaking her head and walking away. "No, I'm not going." She said. "I don't know them, they don't know me. They already think I'm a slut and when they find out how we are 'old friends' they aren't going to think much better."

Tim found it kind of cute how she worried about how his family would see her. Even Lyla knew his family hadn't had high expectations and hadn't felt too much need to rise to them. "We can just say we went to college together and bumped into each other one day."

"The dinner is supposed to be for you and your brother to talk things out. The last thing needed is for me to go and spend the night lying to them. Besides, it's a family dinner and I'm not family."

What if one day he might want to change that?

Where did his mind think it was going? He had spent a day with her and now he was having thoughts about children and marriage. The last thing he wanted to do right now was tie himself down. He had just spent far too long confined to limit himself now.

And yet somehow the idea still didn't seem so crazy. "It's not a lie." He told her, as he grabbed her shoulders and made her face him. "And you don't have to do anything you don't want to do." He could see the glint of triumph spark and realized the trap he'd walked into. "Except come to dinner. You have to come to dinner."

She frowned as he began rubbing her arms. "But I don't know what to do. I mean how do I dress, how do I act, what do I bring? Who all will be there?"

He smiled at her concern. Her words proved what he'd assumed about her being a certain class of girl and it made him even more confused about why she was wasting time with him. "You're going to a dinner being cooked by an ex-stripper; wear whatever you want." Andie glared at him and he couldn't help but laugh. "You don't have to bring anything. Just be yourself. You have a whole day to get ready."

She calmed but still glared at him. "You better hope it goes well because if it doesn't you're never getting this again." She said, motioning to herself.

Again in the midst of being a proper, mannered young lady worrying about bringing things to dinner, here was the wildcat peaking out again. "Does that bargain begin tomorrow?" He asked, pulling her closer and kissing her jaw. Slowly she began to relax and with it a smile grew.


	4. Family Matters

Andie knew Tim had said to not go out of her way for the dinner, but she couldn't disregard years of etiquette training. While he was working the day shift at Buddy's to get the night shift off, Andie explored downtown Dillon in hopes of finding a suitable dinner gift and something to wear. She had found a few possibilities and was just passing the grocery store when she thought it might be nice if she brought a dessert.

She had only been in the store a couple minutes when she noticed people were staring at her. Of course most of them turned away when she looked up but standing a couple feet away she saw Tyra with the wife of Tim's high school Coach. Mrs. Taylor smiled at her so Andie stepped closer.

"Sorry to bother you, but did I do something offensive? People keep staring at me?"

"Oh, honey, no." Mrs. Taylor said, reaching out and patting Andie's arm in comfort. "They just aren't used to people looking so fancy around here."

Andie looked at herself. She hadn't thought herself fancy but when she packed, she hadn't had much time to choose what might fit in amongst the people of Dillon. She supposed her Prada pumps were a bit much but she had thought matching her Rebecca Taylor Shirt with her Banana Republic Jeans had managed to look casual. Maybe it was her Valentino purse. It was a bit fancy but Andie's mother had bought it for her.

"I tried to look casual but I guess I didn't have enough time to pack for this trip beforehand."

"Oh I wouldn't worry too much." Mrs. Taylor said. "You look gorgeous."

But gorgeous didn't mean appropriate for Dillon. "Thank you, Mrs. Taylor. I should be going."

Andie turned to go but Mrs. Taylor called out to her. "Wait." When Andie turned back around Mrs. Taylor frowned. "I'm sorry, but have we met?"

"Not that I know of." Andie said, wondering if she might have seen the other woman in town already.

Mrs. Taylor smiled. "Oh, I was just wondering because you knew who I was."

"Oh," Andie smiled, kicking herself for not connecting. "Yes. By reputation mostly. I'm a friend of Tim Riggins. He speaks very highly of you and your husband." And Andie had also had the coach and his wife pointed out to her in town last week when she had been asking about Tim. But that would sound creepy. "He's really grateful for all the two of you have done for him over the years." Or at least he had said so one night at a bar while drinking bottles of tequila.

"Oh, well isn't that sweet." Mrs. Taylor blushed. "Well he's a good young man. How's he doing?"

Andie thought that over and she honestly thought he was doing better. His mood had definitely improved and he was finally talking to his brother. "Good. It's a day to day thing of course, getting his life back, but he's such a strong person. I honestly think he could do anything if he put his mind to it."

Mrs. Taylor smiled. "I have to agree."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Tyra asked, not sounding all that friendly.

"Sorry, how rude of me." Andie said, shifting her shopping bags and holding out her hand, first to Mrs. Taylor and then to Tyra. "Andie Marinos."

"It's nice to meet you." Mrs. Taylor said.

"You as well." Andie replied. "And you, Tyra."

Tyra looked a little taken back but remained silent. Giving Andie a smile, Mrs. Taylor turned and walked away, continuing her shopping. Tyra gave Andie a quizzical look before following.

Andie had gone back to her hotel room so she could use the stove in her suite. She had been surprised at how much was included in her suite. The boy who had carried her bags up had informed her that the penthouse suite didn't get used much because not too many important people came to Dillon, and when they did, they usually just rented a house. Andie would admit that the room was dated but for the small amount of time she'd spent in it, it met all her needs.

She had just turned off the stove and was about to get dressed when there was a knock at the door. It ended up being her brother. "Damon, what are you doing here?" She asked, motioning for him to come in.

He dropped his bag by the foyer table and wrinkled his nose as he looked around at the suite. "Uncle sent me." Damon replied in his deep voice. Her brothers, who took after their father, had received the height and voices of Gods. At only 17 they stood at 6'2", had voices that could shake the earth and could probably pass for 25 if they tried.

"Is something wrong?"

Damon's jaw twitched, a sure sign of stress. "It would depend on how you look at it. In uncle's eyes, yes."

Andie motioned for Damon to sit and did the same. "What is it?"

"Pythias has gotten a girl pregnant."

Andie almost passed out. "I've only been gone two weeks!" Despite her surprise, she didn't miss that Damon had used Theo's full name.

Damon, always the one to step into the role of Man-of-the-House, did not balk at Andie's raised voice the way the others, even Theo, would have. "I just found out about it after you left and urged him to tell Uncle."

"Damon!" Andie got up and began pacing.

"It would have been disrespectful to hide it from him."

Andie glanced at her brother, her mind going a mile a minute. "Perhaps, but you know how Uncle is. Why wouldn't you call me first?"

Damon straightened his spine and glared at her. "I'm a grown man and the head of this family, I can handle it as I see fit."

Andie felt slapped and very much wanted to slap Damon but instead went for a dead serious glare. "Don't you dare disrespect me like that." She said, her voice a low threat that Damon was wise enough to acknowledge with the dip of his head. "You've been spending too much time with Uncle. I may not be a man," Andie said, "But I am the oldest and when it comes to the three of you, I have given up a lot to make your lives as easy as possible." Andie threw her hands up in the air. "And if you can handle it, why are you here? If your attitude is any indication, I'm sure you and uncle are thick as thieves."

Andie sometimes regretted the decision to relinquish her authority over her siblings to her uncle. She had been in a dark place after her parent's death and relying on her aunt and uncle's hospitality had helped but it had also gotten them stuck in this place, torn between loyalty to family and walking away from someone whose motives weren't always innocent.

Damon didn't dare disrespect her again but she could tell from his tone he wanted to roll his eyes. "I told you; Uncle sent me."

"To what purpose? Surely he doesn't expect me to perform the abortion. I'm sure that's what he wants done, after all."

Damon slowly nodded. "That is what he told Pythias was to happen."

Andie didn't understand. "Then why are you here?"

Damon was silent for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Pythias and Aurelia have run off together."

Andie sighed and sat back down as she grew lightheaded. She could only imagine Theo, with all his noble intentions for the pale, blonde daughter of their Uncle's business partner. But this wasn't a fairy-tale. Their Uncle would skin Theo alive and the scandal of it all could rip apart their Uncle's business. Still, "What does this have to do with me? I am concerned for them, of course, but what are Uncle's thoughts in sending you here, to me?" It was unlike their uncle to let Andie deal with her siblings. It undermined his authority. After all, he thought she was too coddling.

"It just happened. Uncle was hoping if you called Pythias he might answer, not thinking you know about it."

Andie was shocked at Damon. "And you agree? You want to betray out brother's trust?"

"I don't know!" Damon shouted at her, jumping up from his seat. Seeing her shocked face, he apologized and rubbed his face. "Sorry. I don't know what to do. Uncle is threatening to disown Theo and cut him off. The problems this is causing are affecting everyone. I suppose I thought that you might know where to look for them so we could talk some sense into them before Uncle can act."

Now he was back to 'Theo'. "Damon, what happened between you and Theo?"

Damon glared at her. "Why would you ask me that?"

She shrugged. "Even before I left, you were never around. You would take off, make an excuse to avoid every family dinner and now you show up, talking like you're in uncle's pocket, and using Theo's full name, as if you can distance yourself from him. You and Theo have always been so close."

"What do you care? Up until a year ago you weren't home long enough to do your laundry."

And she regretted it terribly. "Everyone has their right to deal with their issues as they see fit, Damon. I'm sorry dealing with mine took me away from home. Whatever happened between you and Theo, you have the right to deal with it as you see fit. But do you really want to deal with it by handing our brother over to our uncle?"

Damon continued to glare at her but slowly his eyes darkened and she saw the pain. She knew that pain. Betrayal was an old friend of hers.

"Damon, how long ago did you have something with Aurelia?"

His anger flashed back. "Aurelia is nothing to me." He realized he had given himself away and went to speak, but shut his mouth.

Andie shook her head. "We both know how Theo can be…"

"Flighty, inconsiderate, impetuous… uncouth."

"Damon, Theo doesn't always think before he acts, but no matter what, he would never intentionally hurt you. You mean everything to him. No matter what, he has always been there when you asked him to." She knew her brothers well. Theo could be impulsive and aloof, but Damon could be equally as cautious and secretive. "Did Theo know you liked Aurelia?"

Damon shoved his hands in his pocket and looked away. "He should have."

Andie sighed. "How is he, or even Aurelia, supposed to know how you feel if you don't say anything. I understand you don't wear your heart on your sleeve, Damon, but you can't punish Theo and Aurelia for finding something together when you don't step up. And they obviously have found something. The question now is are you going to hold that against them or are you going to step up, be the man I know you can be, and help two people you care about?"

Damon looked out the window for a short while before asking, "How do you find it so easy to be so open and blunt with yourself after everything?"

She almost laughed at that. Damon looked at her when she made a slight snort. "I don't think you understand me very well, Damon. I am open with you because you are my brother and I love you and I would do anything for you. But there is a difference between being open and being Theo. I assure you I am far more like you than you think I am."

"This coming from the girl who flew across the world for a boy she knew in college."

Andie opened her mouth, but had to close it again. Yes, she had been impulsive when she had jumped on a plane and came after a boy she barely knew, and she still didn't completely understand what had made her do it, but she didn't feel any closer to telling him that she was falling for his simple ways and kind heart than global warming was to re-enacting The Day After Tomorrow.

"Actions and words are also two different things." Was all she said.

Damon looked at her over his shoulder and Andie wished she had all the answers for him, but all she had was life experience and a great deal of affection. "Listen, I know this whole thing must seem like a fire poker to the soul, but at the end of the day, Theo is our brother and if it were us in trouble, he would have half the polo team lined up to help us."

Damon's mouth got the slightest twitch before he resumed looking out the window. "Were you going somewhere?"

Andie frowned. "What do you mean?"

Damon looked at her. "You're dressed up. Did I interrupt you?" He looked past her to the bedroom.

Andie felt the heat creeping up her neck. It wasn't like she could reprimand him for thinking she would have a man in her hotel room, after all she hadn't even been in her hotel room last night because she spent it in a trailer with the boy she barely knew.

"I'm going to a family dinner with Tim. He's trying to mend fences with his brother. I'm playing the part of buffer."

"Well, you've always done that well." Andie flinched and Damon bowed his head. "I'm sorry."

"I know you're angry, Damon, but there are better ways to deal with it than taking it out on the people who love you."

"I know."

"I know you know. You've simply spent too much time around Uncle."

Damon raised his brow at her. "Where's your family loyalty?"

"Right where it should be." She said, getting up and kissing his cheek. "With my brothers. I have to get ready for dinner. While I'm gone I want you to troubleshoot a plan of action and we'll deal with this when I get back." She walked to the bedroom door and turned back to look at him, staring out the window again. "You know, Damon, you might consider calling him yourself. As mad as you are at him and despite how if he were to call you, you would ignore the call, I think you might be surprised in how forgiving Theo is. He might be impulsive but maybe there are some other positive qualities you could take note of." He didn't say anything, so Andie walked into her room and shut the door behind her.

When she finally made it downstairs she was a little disheveled and had to tidy her appearance. Still, she looked good considering the drama running through her head. Tim greeted her with a smile and a kiss, helping her into his truck. They didn't really talk much on the way over, and when they pulled up at Billy's, he held her door and then her hand as they walked to the door.

Despite having slept together, she didn't expect him to be so romantic. It wasn't like they were dating. They weren't really anything conventional. She'd like to think they were friends, but really they were a one night stand on repeat. If she were honest, she liked the feeling of him holding her hand and she liked feeling like that weird pull she had towards him was mutual. But life had taught her not to hold her breath for things. So she would enjoy his company but let it end there.

The words Damon had spoken echoed in her head. Yes, she had gotten on a plane for this boy and she knew that there was a part of her that was all too vulnerable part of her that would fall for Tim Riggins in a heartbeat. But this wasn't a fairy-tale. Tim Riggins was not a knight on a white horse. She didn't even know if he knew how to ride one. She would be smart to keep her distance, at least with that vulnerable part, until she could be sure there was something more there.

Billy opened the door before they had the chance to knock. He smiled at Tim before looking Andie over. "You must be Tim's old friend and dinner guest."

"It's nice to meet you. You can call me Andie." Billy stood back and let them in. Andie took in the crowd as Tim introduced them.

"This is Mindy, Billy's wife, and their son, Stevie. This is Mindy's mom, Angela. And this is Mindy's sister, Tyra. Everyone, this is Andie."

"It's nice to meet you all." Andie held out the bottle of wine she had brought to Mindy. "This is for you. It's safe to have a glass a day as long as you drink lots of water. Oh," Andie turned to Tim. "And Tim, the pie." She took the pie from Tim and sat it on the counter beside Mindy. "I brought pie for dessert." She was so nervous her hands were shaking. She tried to tell herself that what they thought of her didn't matter because this dinner was about Tim and Billy, but apparently she wasn't listening to herself.

"Oh you didn't have to buy a pie." Mindy said, glancing awkwardly at the others.

Did they not like pie? Andie looked around hesitantly. "Oh, I didn't. I baked it this afternoon."

"Well aren't you sweet."

Andie became aware of the hint of sarcasm in Mindy's voice but chose to ignore it. They didn't know her and it was normal to be on guard.

"I see you changed your shoes." Tyra said.

"Her shoes?" Angela and Mindy echoed.

Andie didn't know what Tyra was getting at. "Uh, yeah. They were a little tall for dinner."

Everyone in the room was looking at Andie's feet now. "How did you see her other shoes?" Angela asked.

"Andie and Tyra met at the grocery store today." Tim said. If Andie didn't know any better she would say that there was a contest of sorts going on and Tim's voice clearly held a warning for whatever he thought Tyra was doing.

"I believe they were designer, weren't they?" Tyra asked Andie, though she was looking straight at Tim.

Andie glanced between the two but didn't understand. "Prada." She replied. She began to understand when she saw Mindy's face and realized Tyra was trying to make Andie look bad. They, or at least Tyra, had no desire to get to know her. They just wanted to judge her. And for something as cliché as her appearance. Well, Andie would not apologize for who she was, and she would not bow to intimidation. So, when Tyra asked who she was wearing now, Andie went full label on her ass. "Oscar de la Renta. It was these or the Gucci Taryn heels. They go better with my L'wren Scott dress though."

Everyone stared at her and she felt bad that Tim was uncomfortable, she reminded herself that despite how much prejudice annoyed her, she must keep things civil for Tim. "But, I hardly think now is the time to discuss my shoes." She glanced at Tim before looking at Mindy. "Tim told me you're an amazing cook, Mindy."

"Did he?" she asked surprised.

Tim had told her no such thing about Mindy's cooking, but he had the grace not to say anything. Instead he looked down at her and smiled. She glared at him while nobody was looking. She would so get him back for this.

"She really is." Billy agreed. "We should eat."

Everyone moved to the table for dinner and the conversation turned to the nice, polite topic of turkey.

Andie sat between Tim and Billy, a safe zone, and tried to avoid any heated topics. And dinner went well. So did dessert. And then Tyra steered the conversation back to Andie. A very heated topic.

"So Andie, how exactly is it that you and Tim are old friends? How did you meet?"

"We went to college together." Andie replied, as politely as possible. She didn't like being prodded and for some reason, the temper she had spent years repressing just didn't want to stay down.

"Were you in the same classes?"

"Actually," Tim cut in, "We met when she was heading to the library to study, and I was in a hurry to get to the bar. I wasn't watching where I was going and ran right into her. I knocked her over."

"Wearing the tall shoes, were you?" Tyra asked, openly hostile now.

"Nine West flats, actually." Sick of it all, Andie cut to the chase. "May I ask why it is you don't like me?"

"Because 1," Tyra said, holding up a finger, "you emit privileged arrogance like it's carbon dioxide, 2," she added another finger, "you don't belong in our world, and 3," This time she just pointed at Tim, "you're cheating on Tim. Not surprising from someone who probably thinks they're slumming it."

There wasn't a sound in the room as everyone looked between Andie and Tim. Andie felt Tim's eyes on her but she didn't understand Tyra's accusation anymore than he did.

"I don't know who you think I am," Andie said, "But I can't help how you see me or yourself, for that matter. There is only one world, granted there are many different cultures and situations in it, but the only thing that can stop a person from crossing them is their own mindset. So you might be of the mindset that I'm 'slumming it', but those were your words, not mine. So maybe it's your outlook that needs to be adjusted." Andie's temper was officially climbing. "As for your third accusation, I don't know what makes you think you have any kind of insight into my personal life, but I don't remember saying Tim and I were sleeping together. So even if I were seeing someone else, which I'm not, how it would be up to you to call it cheating, I'm not sure."

"Oh please," Tyra said, "Tim sleeps with anything with legs. There's no way he hasn't slept with you."

"Thank you, Tyra, for your glowing opinion of my character." Tim said, voice tense, whether it was from the accusation, the insult or the overall tension from the bickering, Andie couldn't be sure. She was sorry for her part in it, but she had agreed to come to supper to help him mend fences with his brother. She had not agreed to be openly attacked when she hadn't done anything to deserve it.

Tyra shrugged. "You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

Tyra waved him off and turned back to Andie. "So are you saying that you and Tim aren't together?"

"Tyra." Tim warned.

"What happens, or doesn't happen, between myself and Tim is none of your business." Andie said, trying not to grind her teeth.

Tyra leaned forward. "I don't hear an answer there."

Andie was frustrated and would like nothing more than to embarrass Tyra by listing in exacting detail what her and Tim got up to, but not only would that be horrifically rude and probably only make Tim and Billy's issues worse, but she was better than that. She would not be the despicable person Tyra obviously thought she was. Still, this had to stop. Not wanting to say anything he didn't agree with, Andie looked up at Tim. Finally he sighed. "Yes, Tyra. Andie and I are in a relationship."

The vulnerable part did a little back-flip at the word 'relationship', but Andie didn't have time to analyze that because Tyra sneered. "So then who's the stud who's camping out in her hotel room?"

Andie felt Tim's gaze like lasers.

"Wait, how do you know there's a guy in her hotel room?" Mindy asked. Andie couldn't have said it better herself.

"I was over there talking with a friend who works the front desk when he came in and asked for Andie. I asked my friend to let me know when he left and she hasn't text me yet."

Everyone seemed to think about that but apparently none of them thought it was as crazy as Andie did because they all turned to stare at her expectantly.

Feeling that the only person she owed an explanation was Tim, she turned to him. "Damon showed up at my hotel room this afternoon."

She watched as he worked out who that was. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Who's Damon?" Billy asked, like he was avidly watching a mid-day soap.

"Her brother." Tim said, glaring at Tyra.


	5. Relation-Ships Sail

The drama of the accusations having brought dinner to a quick end, everyone had taken a break and Tim and Andie had retreated to the back yard.

"So what are you going to do?" Tim asked as Andie explained briefly what had happened earlier in the day. She left out the things that Damon and her had discussed relating to Tim.

"I don't know. Call him, I guess. He can't just take off. He doesn't have any money of his own for another four months and Aurelia's going to need to see a doctor. Someone needs to talk some sense into him and our Uncle is more the kind of man to scare people into submission than coax you into making to right decision."

Tim narrowed his eyes. "Scare into submission?"

"He's a very intimidating man. Most people don't bother trying to resist him."

He smiled. "I get the feeling you do."

Andie thought about it. She didn't honestly think she stood up to her uncle. Defied him, yeah, but stood up to him, not really.

"So I guess you'll be flying back home with Damon, then."

Andie looked up at him, confused. She didn't know what she was going to do, but the tone in his voice gave her a feeling that what she intended to do wasn't the issue. It was what he was doing. And if Andie didn't know any better, she'd say that despite his comment about a relationship earlier, the one that still had her stomach gooey with warmth, he was getting rid of her. "What do you mean?" She asked, wary.

"I figured since I'm fine you would go back home now."

He said it casually but it still felt like a punch to the gut. She cursed his ability to hide what he was thinking behind his indifferent hazel gaze. "Are you fine?"

He gave a non-committal grunt. "I'm here. I'm making up with my brother. That was your goal, right? I'm good. You don't need to stay."

And there was the left hook. Some men just never learned to talk to women. "Do you want me to go, Tim?"

He stared at her, face blank, but his eyes darkened a little. She only wished she knew what that meant. "It's not up to me." He said.

She had to swallow to even be able to whisper the next words, knowing she was sticking her head in the noose but unable to bring herself to stop. "If it was?"

He looked at her seriously. "You can't force the responsibility of that decision on me."

It was both one of the most intelligent and stupidest things she had ever heard come out of his mouth.

"Uh?" Andie looked beyond Tim to see Billy standing in the door, holding her phone. "Sorry to interrupt. Your brother is on the phone."

Something had to be up for Damon to call her. Andie went to walk past Tim but stopped. She looked at his face though he avoided her gaze. "It wasn't a forced responsibility, Tim, it was a question. But I suppose I got my answer."

She walked over and took the phone. Tim called her name but she continued walking until she was in the front yard.

Meanwhile, in the backyard…

"Holy shit, man." Billy said, watching Andie walk away.

"What?" Tim asked, confused and still a little thrown by the different emotions her questions had brought on. "Did her brother say something?" Should he go help, he wondered.

"I thought you were better with women." Billy smiled. "I know that look. Maybe you should sell your land because it's gonna cost you to get back in those good graces."

"What the hell are you talking about, Billy?" Tim asked, knowing he had just screwed up but suddenly doubting whether he knew how badly.

Billy pointed over his shoulder toward the house. "You two just broke up."

"We weren't together. She's been here for two days." And yet even as he said those words he knew that didn't mean anything.

"We are talking about the girl that you have some mysterious past with from college, who then jumped on a plane to come and make sure you're okay, right? You do get that none of your other one night stands showed up?"

"Don't call her that." Tim bit his tongue when he realized what he said.

"Exactly." Billy said. "Despite your relationship with Lyla, she didn't show up. Tyra was kinda already in town for Mindy, but still, she was only four hours away. Andie came from across the planet."

Tim really wished Billy would just shut up. Everything that was running through his head was enough. He was seriously tempted to drink himself to sleep just to stop thinking.

But still Billy continued. "You said relationship, little brother. I don't care what anyone says, when a girl hears 'relationship', that means something. And when she asks you if you want her to stay and you say anything other than yes, to her, that's a no. You just told her to take a hike."

Just as Tim was considering throwing his beer at his brother to get him to shut up, Tyra came out. "Okay," she said, "I'm sorry. She wasn't cheating on you." Of course she wasn't, Tim thought. Because she didn't come all the way from the other side of the planet to cheat on him. But without a relationship she might just go all the way back across the planet to get away from him. Tyra continued. "However, she totally just stole your piece of shit truck."

Choking on his beer, Tim felt his pockets but his keys were gone.

Tyra smiled. "No keys? Damn, now I kinda like her."

Tim couldn't believe she had taken his keys. _When_ had she taken his keys? Was it when she had went in for the phone call? Had she taken them to get back at him or had she taken them earlier? Did she take them with the intention of driving off without him or was something wrong? Should he go after her even after the fight they'd apparently just had or let her simmer down? Was he willing to risk something being wrong and not being there for her… like she had been there for him? Damn he hated how women made you have to think so much.

Sighing, he pointed at Tyra. "Get your truck."

"Wait, what?" She said, her smile fading.

Tim handed his beer to the still-smirking Billy. "I need you to drive me to her hotel and get your friend to let us into Andie's hotel room."

Tyra protested but Tim was already heading through the house. "Sorry, Mindy, but I have to go."

Mindy nodded. "I figured. Look, Tim, I don't know what's going on with you two or her family, but," Mindy shrugged, "I like her. Despite being from money… She was nice, even when we weren't nice to her. She's a keeper."

Mindy wasn't the most forthcoming with her approval so Tim made himself stop and look at her. He nodded. "Thanks Mindy." He thought Andie was nice too. In fact he thought she was freaking amazing. A pain in the ass and one of the most confusing girls he had ever met, but she made him feel comfortable when he didn't think he could ever feel that way again. He didn't know what he wanted long term, but he knew that the idea of her having stolen his truck for her to pack up her family and disappear from his life again damn near scared the shit out of him. And that scared the shit out of him even more.

"Get in the god damned truck Tim!" Tyra shouted, pulling him back to the issue at hand. "We need to go get your girlfriend before she gets smart and gives up on you completely."

Girlfriend? That was a word he might be able to deal with… if he could convince Andie not to give up on him first.

And despite knowing Damon was her brother, when they walked into Andie's hotel suite, Tim felt given up on… and jealous.

Damon was standing in the middle of the room, talking on the phone, and holding Andie to him tightly. It was clear she was upset and Damon was doing his best to comfort her while on the phone. Tim could deny a relationship all he wanted, he could even go on about not being the kind of guy to get attached to, but at that moment Tim wanted more that anything for Andie to attach herself to him, even if only until she felt better. But the moment she became aware of him and Tyra standing there, it was obvious the last thing she felt about him was better.

"By the time you touch down tomorrow morning we will make sure we figure it out." Damon said to whoever was on the phone. "I have to go. We have company." Damon hung up the phone and slid it into his pocket without letting go of Andie. "Can we help you."

Andie slowly pulled away from Damon before walking over to the dining room table and handing Tim his keys. "You'll find your truck in the back parking lot."

"Andie." He said, a little tortured by her tone. She was so… indifferent. How could she pull that off when he felt like a fiery ball of confusion inside. "Can we talk."

"I'm pretty sure you said all I needed to hear. Most of it without any words at all."

"Andie." Tim said, suddenly wishing he had brought his beer with him. His hands needed something to do because all they wanted to do was reach for her.

"I'm a little busy trying to help my family right now, Tim. I don't have time to list all the reasons why I don't have time for you."

How did someone respond to that?

"Uh, well, maybe we can help." Tyra said, surprisingly. She sighed and took a step towards Andie. "I owe you an apology and if I can help in any way, I will."

Tim was so confused. Why was Tyra suddenly so friendly?

Andie stared at Tyra but finally smiled. "Thank you, Tyra. I'm not sure what more we can do right now that we haven't already. But it's kind of you to offer."

Andie went over to the kitchenette to pour herself a drink and Tim leaned over to Tyra. "What the hell are you up to?"

"It's called being nice. I figured I'd try it. Besides, it's the only way you are going to get anywhere near her again any time soon."

She had a point. Walking around Damon and his piercing eyes, Tim made his way to Andie. He stood as close to her as he figured she'd let him. "Look, I know I was an ass, and I don't know what to say to fix it, but I'm sorry. I'm not sure what you expect from me." He sighed, this expressing himself thing he had decided to try felt foreign and uncomfortable and Tim didn't do well with uncomfortable. It was why he like how comforting her presence was. He wanted that back. "I don't even know what I expect from myself anymore."

She sighed and looked up at him. She was still closed off, but her gaze wasn't as cold as it had been. "That, at least, is honest. I only expect you to be honest. I came here to make sure you were okay. If you are, then I'm happy. I thought I was helping, but if you don't need my help anymore and want me to leave, then have the decency to tell me. Don't just give me the cold shoulder and push me away. I know we haven't known each other long, but I think I deserve a little more consideration than that."

"Andie." Damon called from the main room.

Andie let her gaze linger on Tim's face for a moment longer before she walked around him. She was right. He did owe her more consideration. He just didn't know how to give it. He was in new territory. This was the first girl he'd had… well whatever they had, that he hadn't known for years before hand. It was a lot harder when there was so much you didn't know about the other. He had been comparing all his interactions with Andie to Lyla because of his original assumptions of their similarities, but he'd liked Andie for the ways she wasn't like Lyla, so maybe if he stopped treating her like Lyla he wouldn't feel so confused. But then, if he didn't treat her like Lyla, how was he supposed to treat her? It was going to drive him to drink.

Giving up on solving the puzzle that was Andie for the moment, Tim went back to the main room and found Tyra and Andie sitting on the couch, talking. Damon was nowhere in sight. When Tim asked where he was, Andie looked at the closed doors of the bedroom.

"He's calling our uncle to cover until we can figure out a better plan."

"So, let me get this straight," Tyra said, "Your brother, Damon's twin, got a girl pregnant," Tyra leaned in, "One Damon has a thing for," she whispered, "and they ran away from your uncle's house because your uncle was going to force the girl to give up the baby? No offence but your uncle sounds like an ass."

"Tyra." Tim said.

"No," Andie shook her head. "Tyra's right. Our uncle isn't a very nice man when he chooses to be. In fact, he can be downright dangerous. That's what we are so worried about now. Damon called Theo while I was at dinner and I think Damon is trying to get past it, but Theo mentioned that he thinks someone is following them. I've arranged for them to have tickets so they can come here, but as soon as uncle finds out, that's only going to cause more problems."

"Why would that cause more problems? They'd be here, safe, right?" Tyra asked.

"They would be." Damon said, coming out of the bedroom. "But our youngest brother is still with our uncle and there is no doubt that despite how our uncle dotes on Castor, he wouldn't hesitate to use him to get what he wants."

"What does he want?" Tim asked, his thoughts of his relationship with Andie put on hold as his worry for her family and her well-being skyrocketed.

"Aurelia is his business partner's daughter." Andie said, looking at the TV, which was on mute but playing some news show. "They are very traditional and they will want her to marry to increase their business connections. They will want the pregnancy terminated as soon as possible so it doesn't get out and they will want Theo and Aurelia to never see each other again." Andie turned and looked at Damon. "And I would be willing to bet that they will tell uncle that if he doesn't make that happen then they will diminish the company. A company he had worked his whole life to build."

Tim was confused at how Andie could know her uncle would do all that and why she had been living with him if he was that horrible. But Damon nodded, clearly not as curious as Tim. Was it different in Romania? Did their customs dictate that you lived with people even if they were asses? But Andie's family had originally been from Canada and Canadians were supposed to be nice, happy people, right? So what the hell was going on?

Damon sighed, bringing Tim back, yet again, from another confused thought process. "She was being courted by Gavin Petrovich before she started running off with Theo."

This appeared to surprise Andie. "The youngest son of the Shipping Magnet?" When Damon nodded, Andie got up and paced to the window. Damon's eyes narrowed but he didn't say anything. Tim had no idea what to say so he just stayed quiet. He tended to get in trouble when he opened his mouth.

"So your uncle is going to hold your brother as ransom for the death of your other brother's unborn child?" Tyra whistled. "I am so sorry for thinking your life was any easier because you had money."

Tim thought they would be insulted, but both Andie and Damon smiled. "I've been to a lot of places," Andie said, "I've studied a lot of cultures… religions, but no matter what is different about them, one thing you will notice no matter where you go is that life has balances. The poor have perspective but pray for money and the rich throw away money looking for perspective. Balance is everywhere you look. Day and night, hot and cold, good and evil. This situation is no different. A child for a child. An eye for an eye."

Damon walked over and rubbed her arms. "What do you want me to do? I'll do it."

Andie laughed, but it wasn't happy. "I want you to go with me to pick up our brother tomorrow so we can all figure this out together. And when the time comes, I want you to trust me."

"I know I have criticized you in the past, but I always trust you." Damon said.

It was weird, seeing how openly affectionate Andie and her brother were. Weird, but it made Tim miss the kind of relationship he'd once had with Billy. His brother annoyed the crap out of him sometimes, but they'd been all the other had for a long time. The last thing Tim needed to do right now was deprive himself of more family.

And he wouldn't allow anyone to rob Andie of hers. The question was, what could he do?

* * *

_**AN: Hey guys. So this story has actually changed more than I thought it was going to and I think in the rewriting I might have left out some connecting details. I had one comment about Andie's background that I wanted to clear up because I don't think I made it as clear as it was in the original version. Andie's family is originally from Canada (which is brought up again in this chapter, i know) but her mother is of Greek heritage and her father is of Romanian and Greek Heritage. Her mother worked in astronomy and was very important in her field so they moved around a lot. However, when her parents died, the kids went to live with their father's brother, who lives in Romania with his family. So despite having spent a fair amount of time in Romania, it's really not where Andie is from. And she will eventually explain her past, and what her full name is, to Tim (without the need of cheesy Dracula jokes or Palinka :P), but not yet. I hope that clears up some things and I'm sorry I forgot to make sure that all stayed in the story. Sorry for any confusion. I hope you like this chapter. Reviews are always appreciated and if you have any questions just ask. I will try to address them as best I can without giving anything away. I try to post weekly but with the holidays coming up and all the travel I will be doing it might slow me down. Hopefully you won't notice because you will be celebrating the holidays too!  
**_


	6. Attached

"You stayed."

Tim turned from his spot at the window to see Damon staring at him. "That a problem?"

Damon slowly shook his head. "Just surprising. Given the mood my sister was in when she came home and how she treated you, I had guessed there was a fight."

Well give the kid an award for his talent for guessing. "Everyone fights sometimes."

"Yes," Damon said, turning a chair to face Tim before sitting down, "But Andie doesn't usually hold onto those things. As it obviously was with Tyra. She doesn't see the point in carrying things around. It's something I haven't managed to adopt yet. Which is precisely why I would suggest that whatever the outcome might be, you stop messing with my sister."

A few years ago, Tim might have taken that as a challenge and probably would have thrown a few punches, but being in prison had changed Tim more than he had initially realized. Now he appreciated the sentiment. Damon cared for his sister and wasn't going to let her be hurt. However, Tim also wasn't going to let a kid intimidate him into pouring out his soul.

"I'll fix it as soon as she lets me." Tim said, his tone making clear that Tim considered Damon's opinion on the subject unwelcome.

Damon only smiled at that. "I thought you were another project of hers. Andie has a habit of attracting people who are broken and looking for someone to fix them."

Tim almost lunged at the kid. He was shocked by the immediate reaction to Damon's suggestion that he was with Andie just so she could fix him and the uncomfortable idea that Andie was only with him until he was fixed. But wasn't that what he had suggested when he told her to leave? None of it sat well. Luckily, despite how Tim felt, his body managed to avoid showing his upset in any way other than his clenched jaw. Damon must have noticed even that, though, because he smirked before continuing.

"She's so good at solving everyone's problems but her own. She also has a lot of things people covet; money, talent, and, of course, her looks. Forgive me the prejudice my sister often curses me for, but when I first found out about you I was sure that to you Andie was just beautiful money with a soft spot for men like you; or what I had assumed you were." Damon tilted his head before continuing. "We were raised with money and, as things usually go, that made us spoiled and arrogant. Andie seemed to escape that. She didn't party and blow money like the rest of our crowd. She used her money to help people. Not by donating to charity, but by actually getting involved. She studied abroad and learned about other cultures. She yearns for a life away from all the drama of society, and always has, no matter how unrealistic that seemed to people like me."

Tim was at a loss as to what to do with this new information. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because she cares about you." Damon said bluntly. "But if you don't learn to accept that the differences don't matter to her, she's going to be too busy seeing your apprehension to see you care about her too."

There was something more. Tim knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he wasn't stupid either. "Why did you choose to tell me this now?"

This time Damon looked at Tim seriously, which was a nice change because Tim was beginning to think that arrogant look was a permanent fixture on Damon's face. "Tomorrow we are going to go get Theo and Aurelia and try and sort out how to handle this mess. And there are many ways it could happen, this fight with our uncle. But I can almost guarantee that at some point Andie is going to have to fly back to Romania to sort this out. I just want to know that when the time comes, should I be encouraging her to come back, or move on with her life?"

Tim commended Damon for looking out for Andie. And for having the balls to threaten Tim. Then again, it was an intelligent threat. Because it was only a threat it Tim truly cared for Andie, immediately giving Damon the answer he needed by how Tim reacted to the words. Despite knowing Damon probably knew everything he needed to and was just going through the paces, Tim tried to play it cool. "You do realize I've only known your sister for a total of like three days, right?"

Damon nodded. "Yes, and knowing the effect Andie has on people, I would guess that it only took one for your life to be changed by her presence in it. Like I said, she's good with people. But she's also good at reading people, though sometimes she thinks she doesn't understand people at all, and Andie wouldn't have gotten so attached to you if she didn't feel like it might be mutual."

There was that word… attached. It felt so very opposite from the word 'freedom', which Tim craved so much right then.

"Just do me a favour and use the next few weeks, while we are sorting out our family problems, to sort out your feelings for my sister. And if you won't do it as a favour to me, at least do her the favour."

Damon got up and walked out of the suite, closing the door behind him. Tim was suddenly hesitant. The next few weeks? Andie was going to be gone for weeks? Maybe it was a good thing. It would give him time to think about how he felt without her intoxicating presence. But it also could mean the end. And Tim suddenly wasn't so happy about that.

Attached. Who was the jerk who had invented that word? And why did it have to somehow encompass everything he wanted while also representing everything he feared? Could he sort out the word in a few weeks? It was only one word, but it made up in weight what it lacked in length.

Knowing that he had to clear the air before anything, Tim knocked lightly on the bedroom door, but instead of her opening it, she called for him to enter. When he opened the door the room was pitch black, other than the light streaming in from the window. Tim let his eyes adjust to the dark before moving towards the bed where she was lying, curled up on her side.

Tim bent down beside the bed so that their faces were on the same level. She looked at him for a little while before speaking. "Are you leaving?"

Her voice was quiet and small and pulled at every protective bone in his body. This wasn't right. He should be going with her. Except he was on parole and wasn't allowed to go anywhere. She definitely deserved better than him.

"Tim?"

"Not if you don't want me to." He finally said.

"So the tables have turned?"

He hadn't realized what he'd said until she pointed it out. "I guess so. But this time it's only for the night. Tomorrow you have to go be superwoman."

She closed her eyes and he wished he hadn't said anything. He sat there for a while but she didn't move so he went to get up. But before he could move too far away her hand grabbed his and when he looked down, she pulled him down beside her on the bed. "I don't know what's going to happen in the future." She said to him and he pulled her close, savouring the feeling, "But I don't want to be alone right now."

The tables _had_ turned.

Sometime in the middle of the night, despite having no intentions for anything more than holding her, she had turned to him, and when she had asked for comfort of a different kind, he had given it. It wasn't what he was used to, this selfless kind of love-making that she led him through with each gentle kiss, and it was nothing like the wild and passionate times previously where they had been but two twisters colliding. But there was something about the subtlety and tenderness of it all that left a mark on Tim that haunted him well into the next few weeks.

Her next few week held thoughts of Tim as well, but those thoughts, despite being heavy and turbulent, were pushed to the back of her mind where he family was concerned. When they had picked up Theo and Aurelia at the airport they knew they were definitely being watched and they were grateful that they had taken certain precautions against that, like car changes and booking rooms in Austin under different names. Their father's influence with computers and security systems had rubbed off on them. Though, so had their uncle's influence with their back-up planning and paranoia.

They had gotten to the hotel and after their somewhat subdued reunion, a light meal and some rest, they sat in the room Theo and Aurelia, or Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, as it said in the hotel database, had booked. Thank god for high quality fake IDs.

They had tried to come up with a plan for days, always in the same positions. Damon would pace awkwardly in the corner of the room while Andie would sit at the table throwing out strategies. Aurelia would lay on the couch with her head on Theo's lap. Andie's 'Tim moments' came to her when she would watch Theo run his hand up and down Aurelia's arm and Andie would have to shake herself out of the flashback to her last night with Tim. That night had been one of the most life-changing nights of her life, his tenderness both touching her heart and breaking it at the same time. What pieces hadn't broken that night had done so the next morning when she woke up to an empty bed.

She had known he was struggling with their… relationship, god how she hated that word now. But she had still asked for his comfort, knowing it could blow up in her face. Apparently the feeling of connecting on every level that night had either been one sided or had scared Tim off for good. Because it was now two weeks later and Tim hadn't contacted her once.

She now sat in a hotel room in Constanta, Damon, Theo and Aurelia hidden away in a rented house in Texas, and waited for her lawyer. She was supposed to be going over her argument for her custody battle with her uncle, but she had glanced out the window and been distracted. Despite the beautiful view of the black sea from her hotel window, she was saddened by the wish her heart had that if she just closed the curtains and opened them again she would see the view from her hotel suite in Dillon.

She knew that would never happen. At this point she didn't know if she would ever set foot in Texas again. After everything was settled she could buy a house anywhere for her and her siblings to live in. Or, if Damon and Theo both wanted their own places, she would buy them their own wherever they wanted. After all, they would have their trusts in a few months. Andie had been able to switch access to her brother's accounts away from their uncle easily thanks to documents of legal guardianship. Getting custody of Castor was proving more difficult since her uncle was unwilling to lose his last bargaining chip.

Andie would like to think that her uncle was fighting for custody out of some attachment to Castor, but not only did he spend little time with Castor, but Damon and Theo, who her uncle had spent substantial time with, had been too easy for their uncle to let go. When Andie had called their uncle to let him know she was going to enforce her guardianship, he had laughed in her face.

"_You can take those two idiots, they've done enough damage fighting over that twit, but do you really think you are mature enough to raise a child?_" Andie had felt that insult like a knife slicing her open and leaving her hollow all over again. "_I hardly think anyone would let a gypsy like you look after a vulnerable child. Face it, girl, you are fighting a losing battle. You will have to give in._"

Sadly, when her lawyer showed up, he didn't have much better to tell her.

"I know you want to detach yourself and your brothers from your uncle, but your past is against you, Miss Marinos." Her lawyer, Mr. Dalca, told her, laying the paperwork out before her on the table. "Your uncle has brought to light some situations that imply your character might be questionable."

He went over all the points of issue and Andie felt her heart breaking all over again and her obstacles began to look insurmountable. Praying for something to cling to, she looked up at Mr. Dalca. "Please, is there anything I can do? I need to free my brother from my uncle's clutches."

Mr. Dalca looked at her seriously, regret and censure in his gray eyes. "Your uncle has proposed a way you can get what you want." He said, but he added hurriedly, "However, I don't know if it's any better of a situation and can't legally advise you to agree to such a thing."

She was confused and it momentarily stopped the build up of tears in her eyes. "Then why suggest it at all? What is it?"

* * *

_**AN: I know there was a big time jump in there but I promise you'll get a better idea of the thought process that led Andie to Romania in the next chapter. I'm sure you're beginning to catch on to some of Andie's past issues too. Please review and let me know how you're liking her character development. I sometimes find it hard to write her because she's nothing like me so it's harder to anticipate her motives and reactions. I hope you're enjoying it.**_


	7. Explanation VS Accusation

"Come on, Tim, why?"

"Because I don't feel like it."

"You don't feel like eating and having a beer?"

Tim looked up at his brother as he wiped down the bar. There were only a few people in tonight and despite how much he hated that tiny little trailer, Tim couldn't wait to get back to it. It had a beer waiting for him and he couldn't wait to drink his thoughts away. It was his new favourite pass-time.

"Billy, I work tomorrow night, just like I'm supposed to be working right now, not fighting with you about how I'm _NOT_ going to be coming over to your house for family dinner tomorrow night."

"Why? I thought we were doing good. I'd hoped you'd forgiven me, at least a little."

Tim sighed. He had forgiven Billy. He just hadn't forgiven himself. "Look, Billy, I'm tired and I don't want to argue with you. I'm not angry at you, I'm just not up for family dinner. The last one didn't go that great."

Billy smiled. "What are you talking about? It was fine."

Tim narrowed his eyes at his brother who was obviously losing his mind with twins on the way. "Billy, there was almost a cat-fight, I basically got called a man-whore, I fought with my… with Andie, she stole my truck and is now gone. Sorry if I'm not ready for a repeat."

"Timmy," Billy said, mimicking Tim's posture and facial expression, "Cat fights are hot, you are a man-whore, or at least you were, and just because Andie isn't here doesn't mean we can't have a family dinner."

Tim opened his mouth but shut it again when he realized that anything he said was only going to make what was going on in his head lately perfectly clear and the last thing he wanted was everyone knowing what was going on in his head. Then they would know how much of an idiot he had been.

Instead of answering, Tim just walked away and continued cleaning. He turned when he heard Billy say, "Holy shit". It seemed Billy had turned to leave and come face to chin with Damon. Tim, being slightly taller than Billy, had been surprised at Damon's height but wasn't as dwarfed by Damon as Billy was. Damon had, if possible, gotten a little taller.

Damon just looked down at Billy before Billy finally picked up his jaw and walked around Damon, leaving the bar.

Tim watched his brother leave, as did Damon, before Damon turned back and met Tim's eyes. After the conversation Tim and Damon had before Andie left, Tim couldn't meet Damon's eyes for too long. He looked down at his hands that were holding the dish towel. "What are you doing here, Damon? I thought you guys had cleared out for good last month."

Damon didn't say anything and when Tim looked up he was surprised to see Damon smiling. Damon never smiled. He smirked, sure. But this was a flat out smile.

Tim grew even more uncomfortable than he had been. And that irritated him. "What are you smiling at?"

Damon stopped smiling and shrugged. He explained himself but as soon as he spoke Tim knew the mistake he had made. "I'm just thinking that you're lucky I'm here and not Damon because he'd probably kick your ass instead of smile."

Pythias' voice wasn't quite as deep as Damon's and his accent was stronger. He also had a lilt to his voice. Where Damon had been serious, a little dark and full of moneyed arrogance, Pythias sounded more like his sister; jovial and laid-back.

Tim nodded his understanding of the mistake and sat the towel on the counter before crossing his arms over his chest. "It's Pythias, right? Damon's twin."

Pythias nodded. "Yeah, Everyone calls me Theo, though. You can too, I guess, despite how much of an ass you've been."

Tim felt the same confusion with Theo as he did with Andie. They didn't act how he expected. Despite how Theo obviously wasn't impressed with how Tim and Andie had parted ways, he still laughed after he said it. He was calm and relaxed. He sat on one of the stools at the bar and leaned against it like an over-sized six-year-old.

"No offense, Theo, but what are you doing here? Like I said, I didn't expect to see any of you again."

Again Theo smiled and laughed. "Clearly." He looked around at the other patrons before smiling at a couple of older women at a table across the room. The women smiled back before leaning together and whispering like school-girls. Tim used to be able to make women of all ages do that too.

"Don't you have a pregnant girlfriend somewhere who needs you?"

Laughter. "Aurelia knows me well. And Trusts me. Because she knows that I am charming and attractive, but she also knows that I love her without question and at the end of the day she is what matters to me. Mutual trust is important in a relationship. Just like I trust her to be spending the evening with my brother at her check-up right now."

That was surprising. "Damon is with her at her doctor's right now? Doesn't he have feelings for her? Don't you? Shouldn't you be with her, seeing as you're the father, right?"

The smile finally faded from Theo's face but it wasn't replaced with anger. More like sadness. "I have been made aware of Damon's feelings for Aurelia and we have talked about it. But our brotherly relationship has mutual trust as well. Fences have been mended and we are closer than ever now. We have to be." Tim heard a double meaning there but before he could think of how to ask about it Theo continued. "Both Damon and Aurelia understand why I'm not there. It was Aurelia's idea for me to come and Damon understood that this was something he couldn't do." The smile was back. "At least not without punching you in the face."

Tim was losing patience quickly. "So this brings me back to what are you doing here?"

Despite his smile, Theo sat up straight before speaking. When he spoke, however, it wasn't an explanation, but an accusation. "You're a coward and a bastard and if I didn't have better reasons for not doing so, I would probably have let my brother come and beat the shit out of you tonight."

Tim just looked at him. Yeah, Theo's words pissed him off, but what was he supposed to do? Start a fight at work and lose his job? He had a house to save up for and if he lost his job not only would he be further from that dream but he would be in trouble with his parole officer. "So why didn't you let him come?"

"One thing my sister taught me is that everybody deserves the chance to redeem themselves. If they don't take the chance then that's their problem but you're a lesser person if you don't offer it. I'm here to offer you a chance to redeem yourself. I just have to make sure of a few things first."

Redeem himself. Tim figured it was a little late for that now. Andie had left over a month ago and because his… attachment (shudder)… for her had scared the shit out of him, he hadn't contacted her since. He had picked up his phone and stared at it at least ten times a day but he couldn't bring himself to push the buttons required to bridge that gap. He wasn't ready for what he felt and he certainly wasn't ready to be feeling it with a girl who had brothers to look after. Tim could barely look after himself.

"Look, Theo, your sister didn't get this, probably she's too good a person for a reality like this, but I'm not the kind of guy who can be redeemed."

The smile was back. "The fact that you think that says differently. So does what Damon told me."

Tim rolled his eyes and picked up the towel again. "Oh yeah, and what does Damon have to say?"

Laughter. "Damon says that you're in love with Andie."

Tim was just becoming able to say the word attachment. L… L… The L word was just too much for Tim to even think about right now. "Damon doesn't know me very well."

"That's true." Theo stared at Tim so hard that Tim was afraid his eyes would pop out of his head. Finally, out of nowhere, Theo leaned forward. "Can I get a beer?"

Again Tim was completely thrown by Theo. "Can you get a beer? Of course you can't get a beer. You're seventeen years old."

"Really? Because my ID says I'm twenty two as of five months ago." Theo slid the ID across the bar.

Tim picked it up and looked at it. Tim had fake IDs so he knew the ways to tell what was or wasn't real. But Theo's ID was top-of-the-line. If Tim didn't remember for a fact everything that Andie had told him, he might have been tempted to believe the numbers on the ID. Instead he threw the ID back at Theo. "You're seventeen and you don't turn eighteen for another three months."

Theo smiled wide. "Do you know my sister's name?"

Now this was getting ridiculous. "Listen, Kid, I have to work and whatever game you're playing is getting on my nerves. You want to throw a punch, then do it, but other than that, get out of the bar."

Theo's face went so serious that Tim could have sworn Theo was just shot. "Did she tell you her name; her full name?"

Sighing and rubbing a hand over his face, Tim threw the towel back down and leaned back against the bar. "Andie Marinos."

Theo didn't smile, but he loosened up his posture a bit. "Did she tell you her birthday?"

Tim thought back over his interactions with Andie and shook his head.

Theo nodded and rose from the stool. "I will come back at closing time and we will have a little chat."

That surprised Tim. "Why would we need to… chat? I have nothing to say."

Theo paused on his way to the door to turn around and smile at Tim. This time, however, his smile was deadly serious and more intimidation than amusement. "Oh I think that has been made quite clear from the way you slept with my sister and then disappeared into the night when she needed you most."

He said it loud enough that it carried through the bar and everyone left in it turned to look between Theo and Tim. Tim gritted his teeth and walked around the bar to stand a foot from Theo. "You don't have any idea what happened between me and Andie. And I don't intend to tell you anything about it."

Theo shook his head. "I assure you, I have a pretty good idea what happened. But I never expected you to tell me anything. Like I said, you have been clear on your dislike to say anything. However," Theo lowered his voice and leaned a little closer to Tim. "you might have some questions once we reach the topics of her weddings."

Tim's stomach dropped. "Weddings?" As in multiple? She'd been married multiple times? He really hadn't known her at all.

"Yes, weddings. I'll see you tonight."

With that Theo turned and walked out.

Tim spent the rest of his shift going through the motions. He'd been working there long enough, and had spent enough time in bars, to know what to do without having to really think about it. When everyone was gone he rushed through his closing routine. He tried to act like he wasn't eager to know what Theo had been talking about, but when he made it outside and locked up the bar, Tim's anxiety had him pacing outside the bar, waiting for Theo to show up.

Thirty minutes later a silver Jaguar flew into the parking lot and pulled up beside Tim. The door popped open and Theo shot Tim a look that clearly said "I knew you'd be waiting".

"Get in." Theo said.

Tim only hesitated a minute before sliding into the expensive car and closing the door. Theo shot out of the parking lot and two corners later Tim was putting on a seat belt for the first time it years.

"You have a kid on the way, you might want to slow down." Tim was actually beginning to feel sick.

"Please." Theo said. "I've been racing cars since I was thirteen years old."

That didn't make Tim feel any better.

Luckily their ride was over a few minutes later. Tim hadn't realized where they were headed, he had been so focused on staying alive and not vomiting in the most expensive car he'd ever been in.

"If you were going to drive me home, why couldn't I drive myself?"

Theo smiled. "I wanted you unsettled."

Tim took off his seat belt and opened his door, feeling the wind rush over his face. "Me or my stomach?" he asked. Theo just laughed to himself. Once Tim was out of the car, his brain began focusing on things again. "How did you know where I live?"

"Research."

Tim rolled his eyes. This whole family was insane. Who in their right mind did research on a person?

He walked over to his trailer and pulled out his cooler. Opening it up he pulled out a beer and sat in his lawn chair. Theo had the gall to take a beer for himself but Tim really didn't feel like arguing. There were too many things running around in his mind.

The most important one being, "So Andie was married before?"

"No." Theo said, sitting down in the chair beside Tim.

Tim froze with his beer half way to his mouth and looked at Theo. "But you…"

"I said weddings." Theo cut Tim off. "I never said marriage. Andie has never been married."

Tim was completely aware of how possessive he suddenly felt. Just like when he had been talking to Billy and had almost said "My girlfriend". The thing that killed Tim was that he'd never had any right to feel possessive with Andie. She had given him that option, more than once, and he had rejected it. And yet he felt possessive to his very soul when someone challenged it.

"She has planned two weddings and had three engagements." Theo said, cranking up Tim's possessive emotions.

Tim took another drink of beer and tried to choke down the acid in his throat before he could bring himself to speak. "Why didn't she get married? What happened?"

Theo smiled. "Look at that! You have a question. Imagine that." Tim shot Theo a glare that clearly said 'Don't fuck with me, kid".

Theo laughed before shrugging and continuing. "The first engagement was when she was seventeen. It lasted about six months. Andie had met Joshua in boarding school. He was two years older than her and she was completely infatuated with him. He proposed to her after his first year of college and she was so happy. They did everything together that summer. She wanted to have the wedding that fall but he said he wanted to finish school first. So they held off planning the wedding."

Tim tried to picture the girl Theo painted as he spoke about how happy the lovebirds had been and through most of it he just felt a great deal of jealousy. But the more Theo described, the less jealous Tim felt. Mainly because the girl he described sounded less and less like the Andie he knew. The care-free exuberance and breakneck forward speed wasn't like Andie at all. Yes, she could be laid back and fun and even a little wild, but she was also polite, reserved and cautious. This young Andie didn't sound like that at all.

"So if they were so happy, what happened?" Tim asked.

"Andie flew to surprise him on her Christmas break. When she arrived she found out why he hadn't been pushing her to have pre-marital sex."

Theo didn't have to say anymore. Tim could picture it far too clearly. He could see the young, impressionable Andie that was so foreign to him showing up to surprise her fiancé with all the good intentions of someone who was in love with the idea of someone, only to find out that they weren't the person she'd hoped.

Theo took a drink of his beer before he continued. "After that she withdrew a lot. Her grades dropped, her interactions with everyone changed. She became suspicious, argumentative and rebelled. It went on for months. She got in a lot of trouble and it really worried our parents. Mom was pregnant with Castor but it was early on and they hadn't told anyone yet. When the engagement was called off they decided to wait a while to tell everyone, give Andie some time to get over it. But as time went on and she just got worse, they decided the news might snap her out of it. They were wrong. I don't know if Andie knows that I know what happened next, but I heard mom and dad talking about it one night."

"Talking about what?"

"Andie, seeing how happy mom and dad were, and feeling like she couldn't find any other way to be happy, went out and slept with some random guy. Eventually the stress, anger and hurt broke Andie down and she let it all out. She went to a psychiatrist for a bit and worked through it. But by the end of school she had decided she didn't want to go to college. I'm not really sure why she decided not to, and I know mom and dad weren't happy about it but they couldn't do much. Andie had made up her mind and they didn't want to do anything to upset her.

"It actually did her good, traveling instead of college. Whatever she had been struggling to find after the break up, she must have found it that summer, because when she came back for Castor's birth, she was different. She was calm. She didn't look around like something was going to hit the fan at any moment. She laughed again."

Tim looked at Theo and realized he was caught up in the memory even as he told it. The look on his face spoke both of the worry he'd had for his sister's well being and the amazement and happiness when she had found some kind of peace. Still as he continued with the story, the Andie he spoke of still wasn't Tim's Andie.

"It was just after Andie's nineteenth birthday that our parent's died. Andie had been babysitting Castor because it was our parent's anniversary. Damon and I were at a soccer tournament and when Andie got the news, I don't know how she did it, but she had the neighbour watch Castor and she drove the three hours to where we were and had us dismissed from the game. We were so pissed off until we stopped complaining and Damon elbowed me in the stomach. The look on Andie's face when she told us… I was upset, I mean how can you not be shattered when your parent's die, but Andie's face… I don't know how she managed to drive us back home, but she did. She held Damon and I while we cried, she arranged the funeral, she looked after Castor. She even managed to finish planning the charity event our mom had been organizing at the time."

Tim recognized the signs better than most would. "She was in denial." He said and Theo nodded. "Did it last long?"

Again, Theo nodded. "Months. She kept going, looking after us all and picking up everything that mom and dad did. She didn't need to work, of course, but they had certain clubs they helped with and Andie did it all."

Tim remembered what his mother had been like at first. Andie had obviously pulled it off better, Tim's mother had been robotic. How strong Andie would have needed to be just to manage to give the boys the love they needed… it was unbelievable.

"It kept going until she met Drake." Theo smiled again and Tim was immediately jealous of Drake. "He was our assistant coach. Once we felt ready to go back to soccer, Andie made sure we got there. She made snacks for every practice and showed up to every game. I guess Drake must have seen what Damon and I hadn't because he started taking an interest in her welfare. She avoided him like the plague at first. After all she was trying to be the perfect parent and Drake had a checkered past."

A checkered past… Tim could hear Damon's words echoing in his head.

"_Andie has a habit of attracting people who are broken and looking for someone to fix them._"

"Once she let him close enough, he broke whatever bubble she was keeping herself in and she broke down. The pain she was feeling… I can't even imagine that. Damon and I were angry, of course. With her finally dealing with her feelings, she didn't feel capable to doing everything. I think most of it was self doubt but she reached out to the only family we had left… Our aunt and uncle. She had just wanted a bit of help, but uncle insisted that we move in to help take pressure off her. With us looked after Andie had more time to focus on herself. Damon still has a little resentment about her taking off so much and Andie feels bad about it but she had kept strong for us for so long. I get that she needed to heal herself too. She spent a lot of time with Drake and I really think that everything might have worked out for them had Uncle not gotten involved."

Tim would be happy that their uncle got rid of Drake if he didn't know the kind of crap their uncle liked to pull.

"Drake and Andie got engaged and started planning the wedding. They were going to have a short engagement. But then uncle found out. It wasn't like they were keeping it from him but he was at work a lot because they were having problems with one of their clients. When he was home long enough to find out about the upcoming nuptials, he put his foot down. He tried everything to convince her that she was making a horrible mistake but Andie was in love. It was about a week after that when uncle found the motivation he needed to make Drake go away."

Tim really didn't like the sound of that. Tim was beginning to believe that with the right motivation their uncle could enslave the world. Theo looked over at Tim for the first time in a while. "You wanna hand me another beer?"

Tim stared at Theo. Not only had Tim been so distracted that his beer was warm and nearly full, but Theo had stopped in the middle of the suspense to ask for another beer? "What the hell?"

"What?"

"You're not even supposed to be drinking. Continue with the story."

"I will when you hand me another beer."

Grinding his teeth, Tim grabbed Theo another beer. "There. Now tell me what motivated your uncle." Tim said, leaning back in his chair and taking another swig of his sadly warm beer.

Theo sighed at that moment and said, "Uncle found out Andie was pregnant."

Tim spit his piss-warm beer all over himself.


End file.
